Grandson Sentenced in Home Invasion of Grandmother

Receive the latest national-international updates in your inbox

A man and his friend were sentenced on Friday in the home invasion of his own grandmother.

On March 3, around 10:30 a.m., Gregory Drobish, 27, along with his friend, Christopher Brunkel, 31, drove to the home of Drobish's grandmother on the 2800 block of Unruh Avenue in Mayfair. Brunkel knocked on the door, forced his way inside and threatened to harm the 94-year-old woman with something that looked like a syringe.

"This male pushed her inside, assaulted her by punching her and secured her with duct tape," said Lieutenant Michael Gross.

Brunkel stole jewelry, valuables and the victim's purse while her grandson waited in the car. The two then fled the scene.

The victim was taken to Torresdale Hospital where she was treated for facial injuries. Police also say her medical alert necklace was torn off during the attack. She was treated and later released.

Investigators say the victim's family called police after hearing she was attacked, suspecting that Drobish was involved. Detectives say he's borrowed money from her in the past and never paid it back.

Investigators later arrested Drobish and Brunkel at a home on the 3200 block of Tyson Avenue. Police also served a search warrant at that home where they say they found the stolen items. While they were in custody, police say the two men implicated each other in the crime. Both men lived in Northeast Philadelphia and had a history of drug arrests.

On Friday, Drobish was sentenced to three and a half to seven years in prison while Brunkel was sentenced to 13 to 26 years.